Chicago Artists and Gallery Openings

How to un-make an American Quilt

Amber Ginsburg and Katie Hargrave How to un-make an American Quilt August 1, 2014 – August 17, 2014

Opening Weekend: Friday, August 1 and Saturday, August 2 // 6 PM to 9 PM
Un-make Sessions: Sundays – August 3, August 10, August 17 // 11 AM to 2 PM
The act of undoing as an ethical choice.

In a goal-oriented world, can we open a space for creative political dialog by removing progress, by acting in reverse? How to un-make an American Quilt acts as a pair of scissors re-imagined toward uncertain outcomes.

We question ideas of labor, gender roles, and historical nostalgia by skilling without an emphasis on result. Rather, this is skilling for the sake of skill with an eye to collectivity and conversation. As a questioning, we work toward building a collective understanding of communal labor, and we see the work as an opportunity, through deconstruction, to contemplate alternatives to material use, gender roles, and labor activities.

With help from community members, Ginsburg and Hargrave will deconstruct an intricate hand-made quilt. Participants will be engaged in conversation and catharsis as the group meticulously removes stitch after stitch. The project will pursue an intimate understanding of one particular skill, looking to the scraps of material as an opening to raw potential.